Prefabricated building



Dec. 18, I962 KUANG P. HU 3,

PREFABRICATED BUILDING Filed Nov. 17, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 EEE! m .2 El121 a [Z] 121 l@ Ia 1W W M I INV EN TOR.

ATTO/M/ZYS 1962 KUANG P. Hu 3,068,534

PREFABRICATED BUILDING Filed Nov. 17, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 18,1962 KUANG P. HU

PREFABRICATED BUILDING 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 1'7, 1958 ATTORNEYSWMKM M Dec. 18, 1962 KUANG P. HU

PREFABRICATED BUILDING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 17, 1958 INVENTOR.lfuarzy-Pz'ao Hu BY w m f WM A TTORME Y5 ite rates The present inventionrelates to an improved prefabricated building and more particularly to aframeless house utilizing rigid laminated floor, roof, exterior andinterior walls enclosing an interior living space.

The present invention proposes a prefabricated house of suchconstruction that minimum labor is required for its erection at thesite. It is merely necessary to assemble the prefabricated structuralelements of the house at the site upon a foundation or footing whichhave been previously prepared.

Generally, the building of the present invention comprises a pluralityof structural panels secured together to form the floor, roof, andexterior and interior walls to obtain an extremely strong box-likeintegral structure in the form of a regular polygon. Preferably, thebuilding comprises interior and exterior side walls forming, when viewedin plan, concentric octagons, and the floor and roof panels aresegmental in shape to define regular trapezoidal structures radiatingfrom the vertical axis of the building.

Preferably, a novel panel structure is utilized comprising an exteriorperipheral frame of substantial structural strength and of such size andmaterial as to facilitate the joining of the panels to one anotherthrough the peripheral panel frames. The panel interiors are preferablydefined by a grated or egg crate core preferably formed of paperboardimpregnated with a thermosetting resin or the like to impart improvedstrength, fire resistance, insect resistance, and decay resistancecharacteristics thereto.

It is, therefore, an important object of the present invention toprovide an inexpensive prefabricated house substantially completelycomposed of preformed panels which are assembled to provide the floor,roof, and inte rior and exterior side walls of the building.

Another important object is the provision of an im proved framelessbuilding construction composed of a plurality of preformed panelssecured together to provide a structure having concentric polygonalexterior and interior side walls, interior room-defining wall radiating.

from the axis of the concentric polygons defined by the side walls, andwedge-shaped roof panels also radiating from the axis.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a frameless buildingstructure of octagonal shape having a central roof apex provided with anair outlet and peripheral air inlets located at the building exteriorwalls, whereby circulation of air inwardly of the building and throughthe apex outlet is promoted.

Yet another object is the provision of a house or the lik consisting ofeight identically dimensioned wedgelike sections, each of which definesan interior living space or room and each section being defined byindividual roof, floor, external wall and internal wall panels, and

room dividers joining the external and interior wall panels to subdividethe house into the Wedge-like sections.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improvedstructural panel having a periphery formed of structural elementsenclosing a central portion, a relatively open interior core filling thecentral portion and defined by intersecting strips of paperboard or thelike, and surface laminations bonded to the peripheral structuralmembers and to the core.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will apatent O ing 'of thepresent invention. In the detailed description spectively.

.pear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction withthe annexed drawings, in which:

As shown on the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a building of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the building of FIGURE 1 with a portion ofthe roof broken away and other portions of the building illustrated insection;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the building ofFIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane 44. ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the plane S5 of FIGURE2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane 6-6 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along the planes 7--7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the plane 88 ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along the. plane 99 of FIGURE 1;

General Structure In FIGURE 1, reference numeral 20 refers to a buildofthis invention, the building 26' is a house, but it will be readilyunderstood that the same principles of construction and all otheraspects of the invention are readily applicable to other types ofbuildings.

The building 20 rests upon a foundation, preferably upon'individualfootings or' pilings 21. Such pilings 21 are provided at the'corners ofthe house 20 around the outer periphery of the house and also a similarnumber of such pilings 21 are provided about the inner periphery of thehouse as will be hereinafter more fully described. 1

As will be noted from FIGURES *1 and 2 of the drawing, the house 20 ispreferably polygonal in shape, the

preferred embodiment being octagonal. As seen from FIGURE 2 of thedrawings, the concentric octagonal arrangement is illustrated in whichthe house has eight side walls 22 arranged concentrically about thevertical axis of the hous which is located at 23, and eight inner walls24 are also provided, these walls being arranged in likewise mannerconcentric about the axis- 23. Interposed between the inner and outerWalls are eight generally radially extending interior walls 25.

Inner and outer floor panels are provided, the outer fioor panels 26being in the form of regular trapezoids having parallel sides defined bythe juncture of the floor panels and the outer and inner side walls 22and 24, re-

The inner octagon defined intermediate. the inner side walls 24 isprovided with two floor panels 27, each of which is of irregularhexagonal configuration, these two floor panels abutting along a line28.

Segmental roof panels 3% overlie the side walls 22 and 24 and theinterior walls 25, these roof panels 36 being generally triangular inconfiguration. As will be seen from FIGURE 3 of the drawings, theinterior side walls 24 are of greater height than the exterior sidewalls 22 finishes at the site.

Panel Structure As best seen in FIGURES l2 and 13 of the drawings, theinvention provides a new and novel structural panel indicated generallyat 40. This panel comprises a core made up of intersecting laterallyextending strips 41 and transversely extending strips 42. The strips arenotched through one half their height and are assembled so that theycooperatively define an egg crate or honeycomb structure. Forexample,,the strips 42 are provided with with longitudinally spacedupper notches 44. The assembly of the strips with the notchesintersecting is well illustrated in FIGURE 12. and 13.

Preferably, the strips 41 and 42 are cut from paperboard of equal widthwith the slots being cut at equal intervals to one half the width of thestrips. The strips are then assembled to form the grating or actual corestructure. Preferably, the strips are formed of paperboard, as forexample of laminated corrugated paperboard, the board being preferablyimpregnated with a phenolic or similar thermosetting resin for enhancingthe moisture resistance, fire resistance, termite resistance, and decayresistance of the paperboard and also to increase the structuralstrength thereof.

Surrounding the core defined by the strips 41 and 42 are peripheralstructural members 45, preferably of Wood and of a thicknesscorresponding to the height of the core and of a width greater than thethickness thereof. Enclosing the core and secured thereto to form theside surfaces of the panel are cover sheets 46. These cover sheets areof substantial strength in and of themselves and madetypically be sheetsof plywood, resin impregnated fiberboard, paperboard, or the like, orthe facing sheets or skins may be formed of aluminum, stainless steel,or similar metallic materials.

The advantages of this core-formed panel will be readily appreciated,inasmuch as the open core is not only light in Weight but also providesa dead airspace intermediate the cover sheets 46 which forms a veryeifective insulation. If desired, the dead air space formed by thehoneycomb core may be filled with a suitable insulating material, suchas granulated or fibrous heat insulation.

The peripheral structural elements 45 are'utilized to integrate thepanels into the overall'house structure and to provide peripheralportions which'may be shaped and contoured, as by sawing, planing andthe like, to adapt a single modular rectangular structure to generalstructural uses throughout the house. 7

The cover sheets 46 may be provided with'a finish applied prior toassembly of the laminated structure within the house so as to avoid thenecessity of applying panel Floor Structure As best illustrated inFIGURES 4 and 5, the floor panels 26 are secured directly to thefoundation of footings 21 through the medium of anchor bolts 50 securedin the footings 21 and projecting thereabove through vertical bores 51formed in the peripheral structural elements 45 of the floor panels 26.interposed between the floor panels 26 and each of the footings 21 is adampproof strip or course formed of suitable material, such as anasphalt roofing strip 26A.

The free end of each anchor bolt 50 receives a nut 52 tightened downagainst the exposed upper cover sheet 46 of the floor panel 26.

Similar anchor bolts 50 are utilized at the inner and lower notches 43,while the strips 41 are each provided outer extremities of each of thefloor panels 26 to secure .75

the floor panels to both the inner and outer footings 21. As best shownin FIGURE 6, laterally adjacent floor panels are provided with facing,mating recesses 53 in their confronting edges, these recesses extendinglongitudinally throughout substantially the entire length of theperipheral structural members 45 of the floor panels. The confrontingrecesses 53 cooperatively define a rectangular opening through which isinserted a supporting beam, preferably in the form of an I beam 55having terminal laterally directed flanges 56 of such lateral extent asto bridge the gap between the adjacent fioor panels 26. Thus, it will beappreciated that the floor panels are completely integrated in thepiling structure by means of the anchor bolts 50 and laterally adjacentfloor panels are mutually supported from one another by the beams 55.

Side Wall Structure As best illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the sidewalls comprise modular prefabricated, generally rectangular panels madeup in accordance with the disclosure of FIGURES l2 and 13. Theexterior'panels 22 are preferably provided with'windows 33 in thedesired shape and sizeand preferably ventilating louvers 34, eitherfixed or movable, are superimposed over the windows for promoting theradially inward circulation of air from the atmosphere into the interiorof the house. At least one such side wall is provided with a door 35 ofconventional arrangement and this door is likewise integrated into thepanel structure.

The interior panels 24 are located intermediate the exterior side walls22 and the vertical axis 23 of the house, and these interior side wallsare preferably provided with doors 36 over which are located louvers 37similar to the louvers 34 heretofore described.

The integration of these side walls into the floor and foundationstructure is best illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5. In FIGURE 4, anexterior side wall 22 (made up of modular panels as heretoforeexplained) has its lower peripheral structural element 46 provided witha downwardly opening generally cylindrical recess 58 into which isinserted a split expansion sleeve 59 of conventional type. This insert59 is interiorly threaded, as in 68, to receive the threaded upper endof a bolt 61. This bolt 61 depends into a recess 62 formed in theperipheral structural element 45 of the floor panel 26, the recess 62being of less height than the structural member 45 to leave a tongue 63'formed integrally with the structural member 45. The side wall skinelement 46 depends alongside the recess 62, and a tongue 64complementary to the tongue 63 is secured to the skin 46. The twotongues 63 and 64 abut one another, as at 65, and the bolt 61 traversesboth such tongues 63 and 64 to receive a nut 66 located within'therecess 62 and serving to tighten the tongues into extended surfaceengagement and to retain the side wall 22 in firm assembly.

As illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings, a similar construction isutilized to secure the interior side wall 24 to the floor panel 26. InFIGURE 5, the same reference numerals are applied to the equivalentstructural elements with the exception that the suffix a is added toeach structural element.

Thus, it will be seen that the floor panels and the outer wall panels 22and the inner wall panels 24 are firmly secured together to form astructure capable of supporting the roof panels 30.

To further aid in securing the exterior side Walls to one another, theabutting marginal structural elements 46 of adjacent side walls aresecured together as illustrated in FIGURE 9 of the drawings. From thisfigure, it will be seen that the elements 46 are provided withconfronting, generally rectangular recesses 47, respectively, therecesses being vertically elongated for communication with the upper andlower ends of the side walls. Inserted into the recesses 47 is a keyinsert, indicated generally at .5 70, comprising a transverselyelongated strip 71 joined through a web 72 to a generally elongated head73. The key insert 70 is threaded vertically into the recesses 47 andserves to tie the adjacent side walls against relatively transversemovement.

Roof Structure As best illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 8 of the drawings,the individual roof panels slope upwardly and inwardly towards an apexlocated in alignment with the vertical axis 23 of the house. These roofpanels 30 are of generally triangular configuration and individual roofpanels overlie individual exterior side walls 22 and individual interiorside walls 24, respectively.

Such roof panels 30 are preferably fabricated from panels of the typeillustrated in FIGURES 12 and 13 and are secured to the inner and outerside walls as illustrated in FIGURE 8 by threaded inserts 75 insertedinto the upper peripheral members 45 of the side walls 22 and 24,respectively. Bolts 76 are threadably retained by the inserts 75 andsecure the roof panels in position. Prefer ably, the roof panels arecovered with suitable roofing paper 77 or similar Waterproofingmaterials, as is well known in the art.

Surmounting the center of the roof and in alignment with the axis of thehouse is a centrally located ventilator indicated generally at 80 andparticularly illustrated in FIGURE 11 of the drawings. comprises a lowerdeflector plate 81 secured through supports 82 to an upper centrallyapertured support 83 which is secured by bolts 84 to the individual roofpanels adjacent the inner extremities thereof. Because of the provisionof the ventilator 80, the roof panels 30 are not truly triangular inconfiguration, but are slightly truncated.

Superimposed upon the plate 83 is a plurality of upstanding supportelements 85 which support an upper rain deflector or roof 86 overlyingthe central aperture 87 in the support plate 83. From FIGURE 3, it willbe obvious that air flowing through the louvers 34 and the exteriorwalls 22 and the louvers 37 and the interior walls 24 will pass throughthe spaces intermediate the supports 82, the aperture 87 of the supportplate 83 and intermediate the supports 85 for passage from the house.This provides a very effectively radially inward displacement of heatedair, thereby promoting the circulation of air throughout the house.

To laterally secure the roof panels 30 to one another, key inserts 90(FIGURE are utilized. Such inserts 90 are formed by angularly disposedwings 91 lying at substantially 90 to one another and insertable,respectively, into facing grooves 92 formed in the peripheral structuralelements 45 of adjacent roof panels. Since the roof panels 30 slopedownwardly and outwardly and each key insert 90 is concave upwardly, theinserts 90 form drain troughs extending radially of the roof to conductany water leaking between the roof panels to the overhang 31.

Internal Wall Structure As best seen in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, theinternal wall panels 25, disposed radially when viewed in plan (FIGURE2) are subdivided into three sections, namely A, 25B and 25C. Such wallpanels are preferably formed as illustrated in FIGURE 2 with theperiphery of each panel being defined by structural elements 45 and thecentral parts of the panels being defined by the honeycomb elements 41and 42.

It will be noted that each wall panel has its upper edge 10% inclinedupwardly and inwardly to match the slope of the roof panels 30. Toinstall the panels, after the outer peripheral walls 22 and the innerperipheral walls 24 are in place and after the roof has been secured inthe peripheral walls, the outermost panel 25A is moved radiallyoutwardly into engagement with tapered splined keys 101 carried by theouter peripheral structural ele- Generally, the ventilator ment 45 ofthe panel 25A. As illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7, the lower peripheralstructural element 45 of I the panel 25A is provided with a downwardlyopening notch 103 receiving therein a tenon 104 secured to the floorpanels 26 by suitable means, as by nails 105, and bridging the gapbetween adjacent floor panels 26. The notch 103 is substantially longerthan the width of the tenon 104 so that the panel may be slid radiallyto insert the keys 101 into the appropriate recesses 102.

The outer panel 25A carries tapered keys 107 similar to the keys 101projecting radially inwardly to be received by correspondingly spacedrecesses formed in the adjacent edge of the panel 25B. The panel 25B isprovided with recesses 103 similar to those described in connection withpanel 25A and slidably receiving tenons 104 therein.

The third or last panel 25C cannot he slid into place longitudinallybecause the panel 25 is of such size as to fill the gap between thepanel 25B and the inner peripheral wall 24. Accordingly, the panel 25Cis not keyed to the panel 253 and the tenons 104 are snugly received bynotches formed in the lower edge of the panel 25C.

To secure all of the panels 25A, 25B and 25C into position and to finishthe joints between the panels and the adjacent floor, side and roofpanels, a series of battens or molding strips are nailed to the panelsand then to the adjacent structural elements. For example, a singleelongated molding 110 secures the upper edges of the panels to the undersurface of the roof panels 30 and vertically extending strips 111 securethe panels 25A and 25C to the outer and inner wall panels, respectively.Lower molding strips 112 secure the bottom edges of the panels to thefloor panels 26, this molding strip 112 being notched as required toaccommodate the tenons 104.

Conclusion In conclusion, it will be seen that the present inventionprovides a new and novel prefabricated building construction,particularly adapted to residential construction wherein a plurality ofmodular panels can be assembled at the site to form a polygonalstructure. Basically, the resultant structure includes concentricpolygonal inner and outer walls, wedge-shaped roof and fioor walls, andradial interior partitions. The exterior and interior walls preferablyare formed of novel panels having peripheral structural elements,intersecting interior partitions defining a honeycomb construction, andsurface panels covering both the interior partitions and the peripheralstructural elements.

The utilization of the polygonal shape provides a structure of simpledesign and which is extremely rigid. The panels are secured to oneanother by keys, expansion bolts, and the like fasteners which result inan integrated structure which can be readily and easily assembled at theconstruction site.

While preferred embodiments have been described above in detail, it willbe understood that numerous modifications might be resorted to withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A prefabricated unitary, one-story building comprising concentricpolygonal inner and outer foundation elements, a floor structurecomprising a pair of identical floor panels, each of an irregularpolygonal configuration corresponding to one-half of the polygonal innerfoundation element supported upon and overlying the space surrounded bysaid inner foundation element, a plurality of identical trapenzoidalfloor panels having relatively short inner edges superimposed on andsupported by the inner foundation element and longer outer edgessuperimposed on and supported by the outer foundation elements, theadjacent abutting edges of adjacent trapezoidal floor panels beingrecessed, a supporting beam disposed in the registering recesses ofadjacent trapezoidal floor panels, respectively, and each such beamextending from the inner foundation element to the outer foundationelemeet, a plurality of separate interior wall panels, each of saidinterior panels being superimposed directly over and bearing on theinner edge of one of said trapezoidal floor panels, respectively, aplurality of separate exterior Wall panels, each of said exterior panelsbeing superimposed directly over and bearing on the outer edge of one ofsaid trapezoidal floor panels, respectively, a plurality of radiallyextending walls subdividing the space intermediate said inner and outerwall panels, each of said radially extending Walls overlying the line ofjuncture of a pair of said trapezoidal floor panels to be in bearingrelation to the radial beam interposed therebetween, and the inner andouter vertical edges of each of said radially extending walls abuttingthe inner and outer wall panels, respectively, at substantially thepoints of juncture between adjacent wall panels, and a plurality ofindependent substantially triangular roof panels overlying said innerand outer wall panels and said interior walls, said roof panel-s beingsecured to said inner and outer wall panels and the juncture betweenadjacent roof panels being vertically aligned with the sub-adjacentinterior wall, respectively, whereby the load of said roof panels, saidinterior walls, said inner and outer Wall panels and said trapezoidalfloor panels is imposed directly upon said inner and outer 'foundationelements and said radial beams.

2. The building of claim 1, wherein adjacent roof panels have theirjuxtaposed peripheral structural elements recessed along the sidesthereof extending radially of said axis, said recesses being inclined tothe horizontal to diverge upwardly, and a structural key havingangularly upwardly divergent arm portions inserted into said recesses,respectively, to secure said adjacent roof panels to one another and todefine a run-01f gutter extending radially from said axis throughoutsubstantially the radial extent of said roof panels. I

3. The building of claim 1, wherein adjacent exterior walls have theirjuxtaposed peripheral structural elements recessed vertically, saidrecesses of adjacent walls registering, and a structural key joins saidadjacent walls, said key having a vertical extent equal to that of saidwalls, a longitudinal web interposed between said wall structuralelements and a transversely extending head member is entered in saidreceses to bind said adjacent walls to one another.

4. The building of claim 1, wherein said radial walls are eachsubdivided into aligned radially extending panels and the outermostpanel is keyed to the adjacent exterior wall and to the next adjacentradially extending panel.

5. The building of .claim 1, wherein said inner and outer walls areprovided with lateral tongues adjacent their bottom extremities and saidfloor elements are similarly provided with lateral tongues adjacent tosaid wall tongues, and said wall and element tongues are traversed byvertically extending bolts to secure the same in firm assembly.

6. The building of claim 1, further characterized by the height of theinner wall panels being greater than the height of the outer wall panelsand the upper extreme edges of said radial interior walls slopingdownwardly and outwardly from said inner wall panels to said outer wallpanels, thereby imparting slope to said roof panels while supportingsaid roof panels throughout their radial extent.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D.156,683 Tesch Dec. 27, 1949 156,789 Haley Nov. 10, 1874 1,512,975 BrightOct. 28, 1924 1,806,354 Lange May 19, 1931 1,960,328 Breines May 29,1934 2,358,704 Goudy Sept. 19, 1944 2,363,405 Eichelberger Nov. 21, 19442,566,099 Hulst Aug. 28, 1951 2,630,604 Marsh Mar. 10, 1953 2,633,610Hervey Apr. 7, 1953 2,682,087 Siering June 29, 1954 2,775,794 Keely Ian.1, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 157,541 Great Britain 1921 401,316 Italy 1943581,193 Great Britain 1946 1,133,714 France 1956

